46. Smart Car Vending Machine

What it is: A vending machine for Smart Cars
Invented: 2011
Average Price: $20,000*
The idea of a vending machine pumping out cars is nothing short of genius, but it’s a long way off. Creating a fully-functioning thing like this would be a grand feat, but Smart has done something pretty interesting with the concept. Located in Japan, the vending machine can help potential buyers learn more about the vehicles.

Smart Car @priceman141/
At the push of a button, customers can get pamphlets on all the models. Although it looks like they can pick up a car then and there, that’s not quite the case. Maybe it will be in the future, though.

47. Butter Stick

What it is: A glue stick of butter
Invented: 2015
Average Price: $5*
We’ve seen the butter grater, but Japan doesn’t stop there when it comes to getting rid of knives for spreading. There’s a stick of butter too, but not how you might think. Butter is contained in a tube that can be pushed along the surface of toast like a glue stick.

Butter Stick @Sharmeen Aqeel / Pinterest
That way, it’s evenly dispersed and there’s no wastage. It’s not a product that has gained widespread notoriety, but among internet fanatics it’s the best thing since sliced bread. Don’t be surprised if you don’t see it hitting US shelves any time soon, though.

48. Boyfriend Speakers

What it is: Speakers with arms
Invented: 2019
Average Price: Not for sale
In 2019, Japanese video game company Level-5 joined forces with Otome Yusha to create something truly unique for singletons. The boyfriend speaker features two fake arms that wrap around your neck that are attached to a pillow with the face of a video game character on it.

Boyfriend Speakers @Johnny_suputama / Twitter.com
The strange invention wasn’t designed to be mass produced and hit the market, even though the built-in Bluetooth speakers are appealing. Instead, they were offered as a prize for a Twitter competition run by the company. One lucky person got the only boyfriend speaker ever made.

49. Cat Therapy Pillow

What it is: A fake cat
Invented: 2017
Average Price: Unknown
Yukai Engineering decided it was high time for them to jump on the cat trend in Japan back in 2017. They created a Kickstarter page to try and get their product off the ground. It’s a fake feline that’s shaped like a cushion, for those that aren’t able to have the living thing.

Cat Therapy Pillow @Made Me Look / Youtube.com
Complete with a wagging tail, Qoobo is designed to help the lonely cat lovers of the world feel better. All owners need to do is stroke it and watch its tail wag. Unlike the real thing, they don’t have to feed it, listen to it meow, worry about fleas, or change that pesky litter box.

50. Flying Umbrella

What it is: A handsfree flying umbrella
Invented: 2018
Average Price: Unknown
The company that made umbrella hats aren’t the only company out there trying to figure out a better way for people to keep themselves dry. Back in 2018, Asahi Power Service Company revealed their prototype for a flying umbrella. As you might imagine, it’s a drone-like shelter that flies above the owner’s head.

Flying Umbrella @trickey tech / Youtube.com
Instead of holding an umbrella and juggling briefcases or shopping bags, Asahi hopes that the people of Japan might have more freedom with their product. At the moment, law prohibits drones from flying within 30 meters of people, so until that changes the product can’t be used on the streets.

51. Intelligent Fitting Rooms

What it is: A fitting room that acts like a store employee
Invented: 2018
Average Price: N/A
Mitsukoshi, Inc. is a Japanese retailer that has been around since the 1600s. The company is constantly changing and innovating, which is likely why it has been able to survive this long. Mitsukoshi’s approach to changing rooms is another aspect of that, as it invented the “intelligent fitting room.”

Intelligent Fitting Rooms @CHARLES & HUDSON / Youtube.com
The retailer noticed that its staff was constantly running back and forth to help people in its changing rooms, creating chaos and reducing productivity. So, the retailer, which is similar in popularity to Target, invented a changing room that let customers check out sizes and clothing by themselves, without disturbing the staff.

52. Neurocam Wearable Camera

What it is: Records a person’s brainwaves
Invented: 2014
Average Price: $21.73*
Neurowear, a technology company based in Tokyo, Japan, invented a new type of device that it calls the “Neurocam.” This Neurocam records your brainwaves. Users mount a smartphone to the side of their head and, when the Neurocam senses that the person’s interest value (based on their brain wave activity) is high, it triggers it to record what the person is seeing.

Neurocam wearable camera @ ikinamo / Youtube.com
This device sounds like something that Lockheed Martin would come up with, but it’s actually meant for civilian use. Imagine seeing a funny or exciting sight on the street. Instead of fumbling to pull out your phone, Neurocam will record automatically.

53. Chewing Gum Mini Napkins

What it is: A container of gum that comes with tiny napkins
Invented: 2019
Average Price: $5-15.00*
This invention is actually not very new. If you’ve ever been chewing a piece of gum that has lost its flavor, you know that you want to spit it out right away. However, there isn’t always a trash can or spare piece of paper nearby. Japanese inventors have solved that problem by including a pad of tiny paper in their gum canisters.

Chewing Gum Mini Napkins @japaninpics / Twitter.com
This invention, which has yet to make it stateside to companies like Hershey’s and Mars, doesn’t increase the price of gum too much. Instead, this little post-it-note pad is practically free of charge (and a million times more convenient).

54. Smiling Bumpers

What it is: Bumpers inspired by Pixar’s Cars movie
Invented: 2017
Average Price: $550-$650*
In Saitama, Japan, there is a customized bodywork shop that does all types of modifications. One such modification is inspired by the Cars series, which grossed hundreds of millions at the box office. This Disney-Pixar movie featured animated, talking cars. The Japanese body shop decided to create a bumper based on those cars.

Smiling Bumpers @gu_ri.n / Instagram.com
This bumper attaches to the front of the Suzuki Twin, a tiny city car. The smiling bumper gives the Twin an animated, cheerful feel. Though the body shop does the customization in-house, some bumpers have been auctioned online for other Twin owners, usually at a price of $550-$650.

55. Facelifting Masks

What it is: Mask that tightens your face to prevent wrinkles
Invented: 2018
Average Price: $63*
This face mask isn’t anything new for Japan, and there are a lot of Japanese companies that are making face masks that lift your face. The Facewaver is one such face mask, and, when you wear it for just five minutes a day, it is purported to tighten and stretch your cheeks and face, smoothing out wrinkles, sagging, and lines.

The Facewaver @beautyintrends / Facebook.com
Though this mask looks like something out of Silence of the Lambs and likely won’t be making it to the US anytime soon, it is pretty popular in Japan. These masks are hand-washable and made of a blend of polyurethane and nylon.

56. Umbrella With a View

What it is: Umbrella with goggles built in
Invented: 2013
Average Price: $68.00*
Alas, where there is rain, there is usually wind, and the Goggles Umbrella seeks to allow you to pull your umbrella down over your head without being unable to see. This umbrella has goggles cut out in the body of the umbrella, so you are able to shield your face while not bumping into anyone on the sidewalk.

Umbrella With a View @Pinterest
A bit more exciting than the run-of-the-mill umbrellas we see at Walmart, the Goggles Umbrella is made by 25 Togo, a Japanese company known for its unique and uncommon inventions. The Goggles Umbrella comes in yellow and black and has a traditional horseshoe handle at the bottom.

57. Lap Pillow

What it is: Pillow shaped like a woman’s lap
Invented: Mid-2000s
Average Price: $85*
Back in the mid-2000s, the Japanese Lap Pillow was (and still kind of is) one of the most notable examples of wacky Japanese inventions. Called the Hizamakura Lap Pillow, this cushion is shaped like a woman’s legs. It is made by Trane Corporation.

Lap Pillow @TryA_TINA / Twitter.com
The Hizamakura was launched, according to Trane Corp, as a way to solve loneliness. Trane called it a “healing home accessory.” The Hizamakura has also been nicknamed the “Girlfriend Pillow,” and LA Weekly reviewed it as “so bad” that it actually “comes back around” to being good.

58. Wrap Shoes

What it is: Shoes that you wrap around your feet
Invented: 2019
Average Price: $69*
Furoshiki by Vibram created these wrap shoes, which are based in the Japanese tradition of wrapping things in cloth in stores before handing them over to the customer. You wrap these shoes around your feet to put them on, and they are versatile enough to be used as a boot or a regular shoe.

Wrap Shoes @Brennan Donnellan / Youtube.com
Though not exactly as mainstream as Nike, these wrap shoes are pretty comfortable. They are light-weight and have a cushioned foot bed. Furoshiki describes the footwear as “free-form” and usable for “travel” or “all-day wear.” Also, they fold up, so they are easy to take with you.

59. Helmet Head Massager

What it is: USB-powered helmet that massages your scalp
Invented: 2015
Average Price: $52-$99*
Thanko, a Japanese gadget company, has invented yet another intriguing concept: a helmet head massager. The Buru-Buru Helmet Head Massager (called “Buru-Buru” because buruburu means vibrate) gives you a scalp massage while you wear it. It gently shakes your head, and you are able to charge it using household batteries or a USB port.

Helmet Head Massager @hisherstyles / Youtube.com
The Buru-Buru, which, as of yet, has engendered no similar product other major competitors, is reportedly best-used in an office setting. The USB charger was actually put in specifically for people who wanted to charge the helmet head massager at their desk.

60. Alarm Earphones

What it is: Earphones that wake you up with vibrations
Invented: 2016
Average Price: $120*
Made by King Jim, these alarm earphones are vibrating headphones. Though the title makes you think that they will wake you up by blaring sound into your ear (very unpleasant), these earphones are quite different. Instead, they wake you up by gently vibrating. This comes in handy if you are sharing a room with someone and don’t want to wake them up while you wake up.

Alarm Earphones @Danny Larosa / Pinterest
Though there are similar earphone alarm apps on Apple products, the Mezamashi Vibrating Alarm Earphones are their own unit. They come with a 3.5mm mini-jack and require charging every twenty-four hours—the maximum time that you can set an alarm for.